


Appreciate The Lady

by mouseinthemidnight



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Alfred F. Jones - Freeform, F/M, Songfic, Summer, Teen Alfred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 12:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13248447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mouseinthemidnight/pseuds/mouseinthemidnight
Summary: Alfred isn't sure how to win you over, but his older brothers have a plan to help.





	Appreciate The Lady

“Yooo, (Y/N)! Watch _this_!!”

 

**_**_SPLAAASH!_ ** _ **

****

You let out a prolonged peep of dismay and held up your hands to shield yourself. The action was to little avail, as water spewed out over the banks of the pond and spattered all over your dress. When you opened your eyes fully again, you found Alfred’s face grinning dorkily up at you as he floated in the water.

 

“Did ya see that?” His teenage voice cracked ever so slightly with enthusiasm, his pure blue eyes shining with pride. “Whaddaya think about that? Huh? I totally nailed that dive. Am I right?”

 

“You… you idiot!” You spat out water that had somehow made it into your mouth. “You got me soaking wet.”

 

“Well, why were you standing so close to the water?” He pulled himself up onto dry land. Despite the boy being older than you—him being seventeen and you being sixteen—he always acted much more immaturely. “I did warn ya I was about to jump, ya know.” With the same obnoxious snigger as ever, he shook water from his body almost like a dog would shake water from its fur.

 

More of the offending liquid landed on you and into your hair, and you scoffed in disgust at his conceited behaviour. “Ugh, that’s not the point. You’re such a pain! You never think about anybody but yourself.” You turned away to hide behind the tree from which the boy had cannonballed into the water.

 

“Well, you don’t make any sense!” Alfred frowned, watching your figure disappear behind the trunk of the tree. “You’re always down on me but you won’t say why. You know what, forget it!” He huffed and stomped off in the opposite direction.

 

Arthur and Francis, Alfred’s older brothers, were on the other side of the pond, seated in settees closer to their house. Arthur wore a sunhat on his head and plenty of sunscreen pasted across his pale skin, focused intently on the book he held in his lap. Francis was splayed out across the settee, sunglasses on his face and no shirt on his back, bathing in the radiant summer sunlight that poured in from the opening in the canopy of pinetrees that surrounded the pond.

 

Alfred kicked a pinecone as he made his way over to where his brothers sat, and it flew from the grass to hit Arthur square in the chest.

 

“Oy!” He immediately dropped the book, lifting his head to shout angrily. “What’s your beef, you little--??”

 

“Why is she like that??” Alfred crossed his arms over his bare chest tightly, huffing again. His lower lip protruded in a shameless pout.

 

“Why is who like what?” Francis lifted a head lazily from the settee, sliding the sunglasses down the bridge of his nose and turning to send Alfred a questioning look. He then sat up to send the same glance in your direction. “(Y/N)?”

 

“Yes, (Y/N).” Alfred emphasized your name, wrinkling his nose. “She’s so weird! All I did was try to show her how well I could swim. But she got all mad ‘cuz I got her wet.”

 

Arthur looked across the pond to see you playing with the soaked hem of your sundress. His thick eyebrows creased and covered his bright green eyes in a frown, which he directed at Alfred. “Well, how would you like it if you were trying to relax and someone got you soaking wet, hmm?”

 

“But I didn’t hurt her!” The teenage boy protested, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I just wanted her to be impressed. But all she ever does is complain about how I don’t think about anybody but myself. How can she say that?”

 

“Alfred…” Arthur sighed and shook his head. “If you want to impress (Y/N), you have to be natural.”

 

“Natural?” Alfred scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

 “Non, non. He’s right.” Francis removed his sunglasses completely and placed them so that they would hang lightly around his neck. “And I hate you for putting me in a position to say zhat.”

 

“OY! You shut your gob, Frog!”

 

Alfred ignored Arthur’s threatening gestures along with Francis. He continued, “But I am natural. I’m cool and heroic. Didn’t you see that killer dive I made??” He sent a glance at you over his shoulder. You happened to be looking back at him, and he risked a hopeful smile. You only scowled and turned away. He grumbled and swayed his head, mocking your impertinence.

 

“Ah, Alfred.” Francis gave a deep-throated chuckle, flipping a few golden locks of his wavy hair over his shoulder. “You have much to learn! If you want zhe lady to appreciate you, you must first appreciate zhe lady!” He waved an index finger assertively.

 

“What are you guys even talking about?” Alfred rolled his eyes.

 

__When you have a natural attraction_ _

__You deserve a mutual reaction_ _

__You’re gonna get a whole lot of satisfaction_ _

__Here’s all you gotta do…_ _

__

He watched confusedly as Francis stood and moved over to the bed of flowers that had been planted just beside the house’s porch. While the eldest brother carefully picked a handful of them and organized them into a neat bouquet, Arthur stood next and began to look around closer to the pond.

 

“Ugh, silly Yank.” The middle brother shook his head in consternation, finding that Alfred’s graphic tee had been carelessly tossed aside in the dirt near the water. “I’ve told you not to throw your things on the ground.” He grasped the fabric between an index finger and a thumb, lifted up the shirt disgustedly, and dusted off the dirt with his other hand. He calmly returned to Alfred and promptly shoved the shirt over his younger brother’s head. “First of all, you should look presentable, and not like a bloody heathen.”

 

“Hey!” Alfred protested, struggling to shove Arthur away, but was held tightly and forced to straighten out and tuck the tee into his shorts.

 

“ _ _Ohonhon__.” Francis returned to his younger brothers, laughing in amusement at Alfred’s childishly indignant expression. “Give her zhese.” He slipped the bunch of flowers into the teen’s hand.

 

“Huh? What for?”

 

“Well, to start off, as an apology.” Arthur snorted, crossing his arms.

 

“But, most importantly, as a way to say,” Francis interjected fervently, “’I appreciate you. I think you are as exquisite as zhe flowers’.”

 

“But… what if she doesn’t wanna liste—“

 

Before Alfred knew it, both of his brothers twirled him around, digging elbows and pressing hands into his back, and nudged him off in your direction.

 

“Don’t think about it! Just do it!”

 

__When you feel that natural affection_ _

__Lead you in the positive direction_ _

__You gotta stop showing off_ _

__And start showing up_ _

__With little ol’ natural you_ _

__

The teen had no idea how to react as he found his feet leading him to where you were still hidden behind the trunk of the tree. His heartbeat pounded and echoed in his ears, and he embarrassedly hid the bunch of flowers behind his back before you saw them.

 

Slowly you looked up to him. “Alfred?” You eyed his graphic tee, noting that he had bothered to put it back on. “What do you want now?”

 

“For your information…” His cheeks puffed out sulkily and his gaze averted to the side. “I came to say… sorry.”

 

“’Sorry’?” You echoed in astonishment.

 

“For splashing you. I guess…” Alfred shuffled his feet and nudged a pinecone through the grass, a bit humiliated to admit he had been in the wrong. “But it’s fine if you don’t accept…” He braced himself for your rejection.

 

“… well… it’s alright.” You finally exhaled and rubbed your arm sheepishly. “I did kinda… overreact.” You found warmth rising to your cheeks as the boy looked up to you in surprise, and crossed your arms in defiance of the affection you had long felt for him.

 

“Oh. Okay. Cool.” He nodded awkwardly, his heart skipping another beat or few. “Well… um…” One of his hands ran through his dusty blonde hair, while the other slowly lifted the flowers from behind his back and extended them to you.

 

You jaw partially dropped. “Wha-… you got these for me?” You honestly hadn’t expected him to have possessed the consideration. Your brows knitted together in confusion as you looked from the flowers to him.

 

__Yes, you gotta appreciate the lady_ _

__And now, that is a natural fact_ _

__

“Yep…” Alfred huffed, hoping he could blow off the heat that was spreading across his face. “So I just… wanted you to know that I appreciate you. ‘Cuz I wasn’t trying to be rude… or only think of myself… I only wanted to impress you. ‘Cuz… I wanted you to appreciate __me__.”

 

“… Alfred?” His name was all that you could stunnedly squeak out.

 

“Just take the flowers.” He waved his free hand brusquely and extended the flowers to you a little further insistently.

 

You couldn’t resist a soft giggle as you reached to accept the flowers. “I… didn’t see this coming. Wow. Thanks...”

 

“Uh-huh…” He again looked to the side.

 

You brought the petals closer to your nose to breathe in their scent. Although you weren’t sure what sort of flowers these were, they smelled faintly like roses. A breeze swept by the pair of you, overpowering the sweet smell and overwhelming your olfactory sense. Before you could stop yourself, you sneezed loudly.

 

Alfred’s head shot up instantly to stare at you. “… dude.”

 

“… um… bless me?” You looked around nervously, abashed of how your sneeze sounded.

 

“Dude. Your sneeze is awesome.” Alfred began to snigger.

 

“It’s not funny!” You objected, but couldn’t help but to laugh yourself when Alfred’s sniggers ascended into full-on snorts.

 

__‘Cause when you be yourself_ _

__With the lady, yeah_ _

 

The pair of you tittered and guffawed like elementary-school children for a few moments longer before taking deep breaths of relief. You looked up at Alfred, finding that familiar shimmer in his pure blue eyes. The strange feeling it gave you was somehow no longer unwelcome.

 

You took a hesitant step forward and moved your arms around him in a hug, leaning your head on his chest gently. “I do appreciate you.”

 

Alfred’s complexion lit afire. He glanced down at you dazedly, then in like fashion over at Arthur and Alfred, in wholesome incredulity that they had been right.

 

The elder brothers were merely looking on. Francis was smirking devilishly, flashing Alfred a thumbs-up or two. Arthur, though his arms were still crossed, was grinning like a cheshire cat and nodding his head.

 

Slowly, Alfred snaked his arms around your waist, a similar smile spreading across his face.

__

__You gonna get appreciated right back_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Song is from Disney's The Fox and the Hound.


End file.
